“How much water should you drink a day? It’s a question that we commonly get asked. Most adults are under-hydrated. We simply don’t drink enough water. Or you’re not thinking about it. We think we are. But when we actually sit down and count of how much water we drink, it is often times not nearly enough. In terms of how much water should you drink a day, an easy goal is that your urine should kind of look like water. The moment your urine starts to get deep yellow in color, it’s your body telling you that your urine is very concentrated, and that you need to be drinking more. What number should I think of? An easy number to remember is about two liters of water a day. That’s about four small bottles of water that we commonly buy on the street. Each bottled water typically is about half a liter. So get four of those throughout the day. It’s really important to stay hydrated throughout the day. If come bedtime you’re trying to catch up and you chug a lot of water, you’re probably just going to urinate that out. So the key is to stay hydrated throughout the day. Try to get somewhere close to two liters throughout the day, and that should be enough.”
David Coun, MD, is a board-certified primary care doctor and Chief of Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Doctors Brooklyn Heights. He has lectured regularly on various topics, including smoking cessation, prostatic conditions, EKG review, and physician communication skills. Dr. Coun is fluent in Spanish and has a particular interest in prevention, as well as, the intersection between mental health and chronic medical conditions. Mount Sinai Doctors Brooklyn Heights is a two-floor practice with a walk-in urgent care center and more than 35 specialties. Located at 300 Cadman Plaza West, the practice is situated on the 17th and 18th floors.